Green Party opposes fracked-gas plant in Nicetown

At the March Membership Meeting of the Green Party of Philadelphia (GPOP), members voted to endorse the opposition campaign to the proposed SEPTA fracked-gas power plant in Nicetown. Despite the SEPTA board voting to approve the project, the Green Party voted to support the ongoing efforts to resist the building of the gas power plant.

Over 50 groups have signed on to support the resistance efforts including 350Philadelphia, Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, Brandywine Peace Community, Caucus of Working Educators, Food and Water Watch, Neighborhood Networks, Edward T. Steel Public School, Friends of Mifflin School, and many other community, environmental, faith and labor organizations.

Chris Robinson, GPOP membership secretary, said, "It is important to continue educating the public about the environmental dangers of the gas power plant and mobilizing those who are opposed." Legislators who have voiced support for the opposition to the plant include State Representative Rosita Youngblood and Councilwoman Cindy Bass.

The Greens in attendance also voted unanimously to endorse Jules Mermelstein for PA Superior Court Judge. "I am delighted to receive the endorsement of the Green Party of Philadelphia," Mermelstein responded. "In recent years we have seen the evidence of the misuse of the justice system by both parties in Pennsylvania. We have seen PA Supreme Court justices being forced to resign. We have seen Attorneys General of both parties end up in jail. We have seen a juvenile court judge selling our children to a private prison. And most recently we have seen the DA of Philadelphia indicted for corruption. The Green Party and I will be reaching out to work with other individuals and groups interested in bringing true justice to Pennsylvania, beginning with my election to the Superior Court in November."

Mermelstein, a retired attorney and teacher, received the endorsement of the Green Party of Pennsylvania (GPPA) in January and will run as a Green Party candidate in the November 7 General Election.

Green Party members Olivia Faison and Eric Hamell will run for Minority Inspector of Elections at their respective polling places in November. Galen Tyler, GPOP chair, said, "We are searching for others who would like to run for office on the Green Party ballot in 2017 and 2018."

The Green Party is an independent political party founded on the four pillars of nonviolence, grassroots democracy, ecological wisdom and social justice. For information about the next Green Party meeting, please call 215-843-4256 or email gpop@gpop.org. Visit the Green Party of Philadelphia's website at www.gpop.org.